Advocacy and communication strategy final

LESOTHO NETWORK OF
PEOPLE
LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS
(LENEPWHA)
ADVOCACY AND
COMMUNICATION
STRATEGY ON
CHALLENGES FACING
PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV
IN LESOTHO

LENEPWHA Advocacy and Communication Strategy
Table of Contents
PREFACE.......................................................................................................................................4
ACRONYMS..................................................................................................................................5
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................8
2. INTRODUCTION and BACKGROUND ..................................................................................9
3.0 ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION OF PLWHIV’s IN LESOTHO...................................11
3.1 Magnitude of the HIV and AIDS Epidemic in Lesotho...................................11
3.3 Current Efforts, Lessons and Challenges .........................................................15
3.3.1 Efforts at national level........................................................................................................15
3.3.2 Lessons Learnt and Challenges ...........................................................................................17
4.0 Understanding Advocacy ................................................................................22
4.1. Purpose and Objectives of the Strategy .......................................................26
4.1.2 Objectives ........................................................................................................27
4.1.3 Outputs ............................................................................................................27
Working with coalitions may have the following advantages:.....................................................34
4.2 Advocacy Steps & Process...............................................................................36
4.3 Systemic - Human Rights Based Approach to Addressing the Needs and
Participation of PLHIV ...............................................................................................39
4.4 The Audience of the Advocacy and Communication Strategy ................40
5.0 THE CORE VALUES OF THE ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGY. .40
6. PRIORITY AREAS AND STRATEGIES FOR ADVOCACY IN LESOTHO ....................42
6.1 Priorities for Advocacy ......................................................................................42
6.1.1 Increasing Access to Treatment of PLHIV.....................................................42
6.1.3 Reducing Stigma & Discrimination.................................................................43
6.1.4 Increasing Access to Care & Support...........................................................44
6.1.5 Strengthening the Institutional and Organizational Arrangements for
LENEPWHA..................................................................................................................44
6.2 Strategies for the Framework............................................................................45
6.3 Advocacy Communication Approaches .....................................................46
7.0 What is Communication for Advocacy?.................................................................................47
7.1 Essential Elements for Effective Communication............................................47
7.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT MEDIA IN RELATION TO ADVOCACY.......49
7.3 MEDIA READY CHECKLIST...................................................................................51
8.0 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE FRAMEWORK...69
9.1 Breaking down Activities into doable tasks that can be easily monitored.............................87
10.0 MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF THE FRAMEWORK.....................................90
Advocacy Plan - Template and Standards .........................................................94
2. Background...............................................................................................................................94
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3. Goal...........................................................................................................................................94
4. Objectives.................................................................................................................................95
5. Key Messages and Personal Action Suggestions.....................................................................95
6. Interpretative Material, Actions and Tools...............................................................................95
7. Calendar of Events....................................................................................................................95
8. Audiences..................................................................................................................................95
9. Assessment................................................................................................................................96
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PREFACE
The Lesotho Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (LENEPWHA) Advocacy
and Communication Strategy has been designed to define the scope of priority
issues that affect PLHIVs and in particular LENEPWHA and to provide guidance
on conducting advocacy to highlight these issues, and call for action among
stakeholders who have a duty and capacity to improve the situation.
This strategy is neither exhaustive nor prescriptive, but intended as a guide for
advocacy that can be used by LENEPWHA, individuals and organizations with
interest in promoting increased support to PLHIV’s, other Networks for PLHIV, and
HIV and AIDS programme planners and implementers in Government, civil
society and private sector organizations intending to conduct advocacy
activities in Lesotho for and with PLHIV’s. It is intended to be a living document
that can be reviewed and improved at any time.
Implementation of this Strategy is expected to contribute to entrenching the
principles of Greater Involvement (GIPA) of PLHIV (or Meaningful Involvement
(MIPA) of PLHIV as others call it) that has been embraced at global, regional
and national levels.
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ACRONYMS
AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
ARASA AIDS Rights Alliance of Southern Africa
ART Anti-retroviral Therapy
CCM Country Coordinating Mechanism
FIDA Federation of Women Lawyers
GIPA Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV and AIDS
GNP+ Global Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HTC HIV Testing and Counseling
ILO International Labour Office
LCN Lesotho Council of Non-governmental Organisations
LGBTIs Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-gender and Intersex
LIRAC Lesotho Inter-religious AIDS Consotium
LENEPWHA Lesotho Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS
MIPA Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV and AIDS
NAC National AIDS Commission
NAP+ Network of African People Living with HIV and AIDS
OVC Orphans and Vulnerable Children
PLHIV People Living with HIV
PLWHA People Living with HIV and AIDS
SADC South African Development Community
UNFPA United Nations Population Fund
UNAIDS The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS
UNGASS United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV and AIDS
VCT Voluntary Counseling and Testing
WLSA Women and Law in Southern Africa
YPLHIV Young People Living with HIV
YPGOL Young Positive Generation of Lesotho
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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This Advocacy and Communication Strategy is the product of the combined
and dedicated effort and input of various organizations.
We acknowledge contributions by the following organizations and individuals:
Action AID Lesotho, FIDA, GFCU, Harvest fm, Informative Newspaper, LANFOD,
LENEPWHA, LIRAC, LPPA, Sesotho Media, SOS Children’s Village, The Post
Newspaper, Tsenolo fm, UNAIDS, WFP, WLSA, YGOL, and the consultant Teboho
Mohlabi who compiled the Strategy;
The workshop was held from 25th
– 26th
June 2015 in Maseru, Lesotho.
Financial assistance was provided by the
………………………………………………….,
Editors:
Teboho MOHLABI (Quest Training and Consultancy)
Boshepha Ranthithi (Executive Director - LENEPWHA)
Mampeke Mokela (Advocacy and Communication Officer -
LENEPWHA)
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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The SADC region is the epicenter of the epidemic globally. With 3.5% of the
world’s total population, the region accounts for 37% (14 million adults and
children) of global cases of people living with HIV and AIDS. The epidemic
threatens social and economic development in the SADC region and has
already reversed health, social welfare and development gains of the past
decades.
Lesotho now ranks second in the world in terms of prevalence. In spite of this
PLHIVs are still not as involved as they should in matters that affect their lives
(UNAIDS Report 2014). While there is general information fatigue, there are also
structural challenges like the closure of National AIDS Commission and general
lack of resources for Networks of PLHIVs like LENEPWHA and LENASO. Civil
Society Forums on HIV also have a resource challenge and capacity to assist
with advocacy. While Lesotho has some strong advocacy NGOs, they seem
more inclined to participate in legal and political debates than in social
development and in particular social health. Lesotho has also been party to
most international conventions and has ratified them. The challenge has always
been domestication and access of such laws by the people who get affected
by them.
The Strategy will assist LENEPWHA, policy and decision makers, donors, leaders of
communities and institutions, programme personnel as well as other networks of
PLHIV to understand and appreciate the challenges facing PLHIVs, and to guide
them in making and implementing informed policy, strategic and programme
decisions and actions to improve on their lives.
The Strategy sets values that should guide advocacy which include, recognition
of human rights of PLHIV; emphasis on mainstreaming of support to PLHIV;
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upholding sensitivity to vulnerability, children and gender; ensuring adequate
participation of PLHIV and broad based support from relevant stakeholders;
promoting universal access to treatment, care and support; and ensuring
sustainability of advocacy efforts and resultant actions.
The priorities areas will be realized through: promoting policy development and
harmonization on specific issues; strengthening institutional and organisational
capacity of LENEPWHA for effective PLHIV participation in the response to HIV
and AIDS; developing technical, political and development partnerships,
networks or alliances; conducting research and seeking to better understand
issues; mobilising resources to support advocacy; promoting the strengthening
of service delivery and social support systems; and monitoring and evaluation of
advocacy efforts.
The Strategy is a reference document and can be adapted by organizations
with interest to promote advocacy and service delivery for people living with
HIV and AIDS.
2. INTRODUCTION and BACKGROUND
The participation of people living with HIV and AIDS in efforts to prevent HIV,
control and mitigate the impact caused by the pandemic is still low 29 years
after the first AIDS case was reported in Lesotho. Efforts and commitment to
address the epidemic have increased at national and regional levels in SADC
through networks of people living with HIV (PLHIV). However, these efforts and
commitment are not adequately coordinated and remain far short of those
expected to make a significant impact on the control of the epidemic and in
providing comprehensive and adequate services required to protect and fulfill
the rights to dignity and decent lives of people infected and affected by HIV
and AIDS and their families. People living with HIV and their families continue to
experience challenges associated with the disease which include stigma and
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discrimination, inadequate care and support, lack of voluntary counseling and
treatment and poor support to their participation.
The level of understanding and commitment to addressing the challenges
faced by PLHIV vary among various stakeholders. Current efforts are generally
inadequate and piecemeal and do not match the magnitude of the
challenges. People Living with HIV together with various civil society, private
sector and government institutions and programmes working on HIV and AIDS
should establish stronger networks and partnerships in order to improve the
effectiveness of efforts to advocate and address challenges facing people
living with HIV. This Strategy is developed to guide and facilitate coordination of
such efforts in Lesotho.
The development of the Strategy was informed and guided by global, regional
and national efforts and commitments to mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS
such as UNGASS, NAP+ Strategic Plan, Abuja Declaration, the Maseru
Declaration on HIV and AIDS, Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV and
AIDS (GIPA), Brazzaville Declaration on Universal Access to Treatment, National
AIDS Strategic Plan, Modes of Transmission Study among other commitments
and initiatives.
The priorities of the Strategy were defined following formative research initiatives
in Lesotho, review of global, regional and national level literature and a national
multi-stakeholder consultative workshop. In particular the strategy is informed by
the SADC Strategy for Advocacy On Challenges facing People Living with HIV
and AIDS: (SADC HIV and AIDS Unit, June 2006). A Technical Task Force
representing national partners working on various aspects of HIV and AIDS
mitigation and control guided the process of developing the Strategy.
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The Strategy contributes to the fulfillment of the overall goal of Lesotho on HIV
and AIDS “to decrease the numbers of HIV and AIDS infected and affected
individuals and families in Lesotho, so as to ensure that HIV and AIDS is no longer
a threat to public health and to sustained socio-economic development of the
member states” as enshrined in the Maseru Declaration on HIV and AIDS and
Regional Strategic Strategy on HIV and AIDS. It is intended to be a broad
reference for use by different stakeholders working on HIV and AIDS ranging
from government programmes, civil society and private sector efforts and to
unify and better coordinate these efforts at community and national levels in
Lesotho.
3.0 ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION OF PLWHIV’s IN LESOTHO
3.1 Magnitude of the HIV and AIDS Epidemic in Lesotho
In 2006, the National Census estimated the population of 1,876,633 people in
Lesotho. Seventy three percent (73%) live in rural areas and twenty seven
percent (27%) in urban areas. Fifty one percent (51%) of the total population is
women while men make forty nine percent (49%). Of the whole population 40%
are young people below the age of 15. Lesotho is classified as a lower middle
income country with a human development index of 0.486. Adult literacy
(which is the ability to read and write) is estimated at 89.6% while
unemployment is 22.7%. The country also faces a dual epidemic of HIV and TB a
co-infection rate of 74% (Global TB Report 2013).
The Epidemiology of HIV in Lesotho
In 2012, Lesotho was ranked second (after Swaziland) in the world in terms of HIV
prevalence. The prevalence has stabilized at 22.9% [22.5% in 2009, 22.7% in 2010
and 22.8 in 2011]. The main driver of the spread of HIV in Lesotho is heterosexual
sex among a mostly heterogeneous group even though the geographical areas
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(commercial business districts) show a significantly higher prevalence than the
rural areas.
There is a general consensus that while these numbers paint a gloomy picture,
they still mask the real long term ramifications of the epidemic in terms of the
erosion of human capital, the social psychological trauma and other impacts
on communities, care-givers, orphans and other vulnerable children that are yet
to be fully documented and addressed.
3.2 Specific challenges facing PLHIV
Individuals, families and communities of people living with HIV and AIDS have to
deal with a variety of challenges not least of which is the monetary cost of care,
support and accessing medical treatment services. The impact of the epidemic
ranges from increased spending on medical supplies and funerals, through the
requirement for increased dedication to caring and supporting the terminally ill.
The epidemic contributes to increases in female and child-headed households;
the feminization of poverty; ‘crippling anxiety’ over their sero-status; and
increasing number of orphans and vulnerable children. The epidemic has
created an unprecedented threat to children’s health, well-being, and
development. The vicious cycle of poverty that unfolds after the death of the
bread winner has also been documented (Topouzis et al. 1994). For example,
most of the orphans and vulnerable children end up heading households and
are more likely to be out-of-school, malnourished; less likely to receive health
care; and usually are extremely poor. Those who end up on the streets face the
danger of being abused and sexually exploited, and vulnerable to contracting
HIV and AIDS (Ayieko 1997; World Bank 1999:14; UNAIDS 2000:26).
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HIV and AIDS directly affect the ability of households to secure their livelihoods.
Consequently, livelihood insecurity worsens HIV and AIDS by increasing the
likelihood of HIV infection as a result of high-risk behaviour such as commercial
sex work, migrant labour, among others by individuals in their effort to protect or
access assets and sources of livelihood (prostitution, mobility/migration). In
addition, it triggers and speeds up progression from HIV to symptomatic AIDS
due to poor nutrition, poverty, food insecurity, and related illness.
Stigma and discrimination exists in all spheres from the individual, family,
workplace to the community. Fear and denial due to the stigma associated with
HIV and AIDS is seen to prevent people from revealing their status—even to their
sexual partners. The rights of PLHIV for example to human dignity, life, security,
liberty, privacy and confidentiality are frequently violated. Fear of rejection and
stigmatization by families, communities and co-workers is a major concern for
PLHIV. Stigma and discrimination are obstacles to HIV prevention, care and
treatment for people living with HIV. Stigma and discrimination is fueled by
gender inequalities (HIV/AIDS and Gender; Fact Sheet Overview; p1).
Discrimination increases vulnerability to infection. Women and other vulnerable
groups who are living with HIV and AIDS suffer the brunt of stigma and
discrimination as they are often accused of spreading the virus. The protection
and promotion of all human rights is thus necessary to reduce vulnerability to HIV
and lessen the adverse impact of HIV on those affected (HIV/AIDS and Gender;
factsheet overview; p 5).
ART Coverage
There is very limited access to anti-retroviral treatment (ART) where it is needed
due to factors such as prohibitive costs, scarce resources among the most
affected PLHIV to pay for such access, as well as limited institutional capacity to
provide care and support for PLHIV. In the context of Lesotho where ART is
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provided for free, lack of access may come in a form of people in remote areas
not being able to travel long distances for medication. Health care services are
generally overstretched and lack basic services such as immunity boosters and
drugs to treat opportunistic infections as well as basic health care materials,
such as gloves, aprons and disinfectants. While condom programming is
somewhat reasonable, the provision of gloves to none health providers and
lubricants for condom use are still not part of the comprehensive condom
programming.
Apart from material and physical needs, people living with HIV and AIDS lack
psychosocial support, ART Counselling, General Counselling and companionship
in some cases including from family members.
Voluntary Counselling and Testing or HIV Testing and Counselling
Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) services are not easily available
particularly in rural and not easy to reach areas. Voluntary counseling and
testing is constrained by several factors among which are, fear of stigma and
discrimination once tested positive, inadequate treatment, care and support
services and inadequate voluntary counseling and testing facilities and services.
(AVERT.org)
Food Security, Micronutrients and Food Supplements
The nutritional status of the majority of people in the rural areas of Lesotho is
compromised. The interaction of HIV infection and AIDS with a PLHIV’s nutritional
status and dietary behavior has been a distinguishing characteristic of the
disease course in Lesotho. A direct & critical link exists between good nutrition
and HIV and AIDS. A well-nourished person or child has strong immune system
that helps him/her to fight opportunistic illnesses. Progression of HIV to AIDS is
delayed among well-nourished people living with HIV and AIDS. The opposite
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holds for malnourished people living with HIV. The HIV and AIDS epidemic has
been superimposed on a preexisting and longstanding background of food
insecurity and extensive malnutrition.
Involvement of People Living with HIV and HIV and AIDS issues
The participation of people living with HIV in various forums that seek to address
HIV and AIDS is low. In particular, children and young people who are infected
and affected are being neglected in PLHIV programmes yet they are the most
vulnerable. In addition, networks of people living with HIV and AIDS lack
capacity to coordinate their work and support their members and facilitate
meaningful participation to realize GIPA. (Paris AIDS Summit Declaration; p2).
The support provided by private sector and some individuals through networks
have often been reported not to be reaching those people most in need.
(Mainstreaming the Principle of Meaningful Involvement of People Living with or
affected by HIV and AIDS (MIPA) into HIV Programming; p3)
3.3 Current Efforts, Lessons and Challenges
3.3.1 Efforts at national level
Generally, there is increased recognition and awareness of the magnitude and
impact of HIV and AIDS globally, in the SADC region and Lesotho in particular.
Efforts to address the epidemic have increased over the years in several ways.
National and regional responses and initiatives have increasingly become
driven by, among others, the need for a sustained multi-sectoral approach to
dealing with HIV and AIDS. At the moment, Lesotho has a challenge with the
institution that is responsible for Coordination of the Nation Multisectoral
Approach as the Lesotho National AIDS Commission (NAC) has been closed for
a while. While the Ministry of Health is tasked with the National Coordination as
a stop-gap measure, the Ministry of Health is already overstretched with the
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aspect that it specializes in which is Care and Treatment. This leaves the other
areas of HIV Impact Mitigation, Prevention, Governance and Management in
dire need.
At regional level, political commitment is signified by, among others, policy and
strategy documents such as the Maseru Declaration on HIV and AIDS, SADC HIV
& AIDS Strategic Strategy and Programme of Action: 2003 – 2007, SADC/ILO
Code of Conduct on Employment and HIV and AIDS, commitment to GIPA,
Brazzaville Declaration on Universal Access to Treatment and recent efforts to
accelerate prevention efforts. In addition, HIV/AIDS is a standing item in the
SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government further illustrating the strategic
significance attached to it.
According to the (UNAIDS report of 2004), HIV and AIDS funding has increased
overtime from an estimated USD 300 million in 1996 to USD 6.1 billion in 2004 and
estimated to have reached USD 8 billion in 2005 in the SADC region. This
development has seen more funding available for regional and national
programmes in the SADC region and in Lesotho.
At national level, the majority of SADC Member States have established
multisectoral HIV and AIDS coordinating bodies which report to the Presidency
(and in the case of Lesotho and Swaziland, the Prime Minister), indicating some
political commitment. Policies supportive of HIV and AIDS prevention, mitigation
and support have been developed as well as national strategies and
implementing plans. In most SADC countries, Government programmes have
facilitated and supported the emergency of national networks of people living
with HIV and AIDS and continue to make effort to fulfill the principles of GIPA. In
Lesotho, a member of LENEPWHA co-chairs the Country Coordinating
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Mechanism (CCM) and LENEPWHA is also a permanent member of the National
AIDS Commission Board (though closed at the moment).
Negotiations with drug companies and intervention of international well-wishing
organizations have seen the prices of first line treatment of ARV’s reducing to
significant levels. Production of generic and cheaper drugs has begun in some
countries like Uganda and South Africa. Lesotho however still relies heavily on
ARV drugs sourced from India.
3.3.2 Lessons Learnt and Challenges
Several lessons have been learnt and challenges remain in the efforts to support
people living with HIV. Some of the lessons and challenges are outlined below.
Globally and indeed in Lesotho, the involvement of PLHIV is recognised as
critical to any meaningful efforts to combat HIV and AIDS. Integrating the
Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV and AIDS (GIPA) is however a
challenge. There is need to empower individuals and create an enabling
context for support. Participation of people living with HIV and AIDS should be
meaningful and not tokenistic.
Developing strong partnerships and networks is necessary to effectively mitigate
the impact of HIV and AIDS. Sharing the same direction and working as teams,
produces greater accomplishments with less effort. Most current efforts also
appear to be at a small scale, driven by individual organizations, with little
coordination for concerted action. The challenge is to bring the different players
together to advocate and take action from a common platform with a
common and magnified voice and to scale up such efforts to ensure universal
access to all who need support. This is not always easy to build as a result of
different agenda and perspectives among organisations. The existence of the
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Health Advocacy Forum, facilitated by the Lesotho Council of NGOs and
comprised of civil society organisations working in the health sector, should
prove to be an effective platform through advocacy for PLHIVs are put at the
Forefront.
Policies and Government Commitments
Good policies, strategies and programmes for PLHIV have been developed in
Lesotho, but implementation remains weak. Most African Governments have
not met the Abuja targets set out in April 2001 (spending 15% of annual budget
on Health). Even though Lesotho spend 9% of the 15% of its annual budget on
Health in 2004 (Progress towards the Abuja target for government spending on
health care on East and Southern Africa; 2005 p8), it would be interesting to see
how much of it gets absorbed and how much of the absorbed amount is used
for HIV and AIDS interventions. So many good intentions that have been
pronounced through policies and strategies can make a significant difference
only when they are translated into concrete actions. Declaration of
commitments by Lesotho Government is instrumental in mobilizing resources to
support LENEPWHA and support groups, but may not necessarily mean actual
allocation.
While resources for HIV and AIDS “appear” to be abundant globally, getting
donors to easing conditions of funding and making long term project
/programme commitment to funding remain a major challenge. As a result,
most efforts remain short term, donor driven with less impact. Besides, the
amount required for an expanded response to turn around the epidemic- halt
the spread and reduce the associated impact remain grossly inadequate-
UNAIDS estimates a funding gap of USD 18 billion from 2005-2007.
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Most PLHIV organisations like other community based organizations, cannot
access funding because they do not have the skills or capacity to write
proposals, lack a history of activity and do not have systems and procedures
already in place. Building a professional and credible LENEPWHA that can
effectively manage its own affairs remain a challenge.
Most funding agencies are reluctant to put money into building the capacity of
new structures of PLHIV. This raises critical questions around commitment to the
GIPA principles. Meaningful involvement of people living with HIV and AIDS in
the national response means working with them to build capacity, listening to
them to establish needs and responding to them to bring about change.
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Efforts to realize GIPA are hampered by reluctance by most key stakeholders to
nurture and professionalize networks. Committing various stakeholders to identify
themselves with certain roles and responsibilities in the support of PLHIV based
on their mandates and comparative advantages remain a challenge that
should target for advocacy. Current support to PLHIV, to a large extent appear
to view PLHIV as deserving of charity support and to be pitied. This view further
undermines GIPA and the empowerment of PLHIV to be in charge of their own
lives. While implementing GIPA is a challenge, in Lesotho it is augmented by
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reluctance of professional people with influence and high qualifications
declaring their status and working with and for PLHIV’s.
Efforts to address HIV and AIDS are often targeted at addressing the symptoms
rather than the underlying causes of HIV/AIDS transmission e.g. gender and
generational inequities, mobility and migration. HIV and AIDS as a
developmental issue.
Inadequate information on funding available within country and often
complicated grant application formats and requirements limit access of PLHIV
support groups to funding even after training. In addition, complex and multiple
donor reporting requirements affect access of LENEPWHA and support groups to
funding. PLHIV support groups have limited skills to relate with those conditions
and yet receive little support from those who manage HIV grants. In the words of
Dr. Peter Piot, “In AIDS as elsewhere, program managers are often little more
than data processors for donors, spending obscene amounts of time trying to
satisfy dozens of duplicative reporting requirements, and hosting repetitive
review missions month after month. Donor-driven agendas are raising
transaction costs and reducing programme effectiveness. It is a bit rich for
donors to complain of absorptive capacity when they are the ones absorbing
much of it.” Dr Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS (UNAIDS Report 2004).
There is a global angle to challenges that fuel HIV and AIDS and make it difficult
to control. Efforts to control HIV and AIDS and mitigate its impact should include
addressing global constructs that increase vulnerability. Commitment at global
level by institutions such as the World Bank and IMF is required to address social
inequalities that fuel epidemics such as HIV and AIDS.
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In some instances, lack of capacity is politicized and blown out of proportion in
order to undermine access of community based organizations to funding. This
raises questions of commitment to building capacity of PLHIV networks and
support groups. The politicization of capacity has also characterized the
relationship between low income countries and developed countries over time.
Poor countries spend sinful amounts of what would other wise be set aside for
HIV/AIDS on debt servicing: The National AIDS Spending Assessment (NASA)
which was done in Lesotho approximates that M1, 035.72 million was spent in
Lesotho on HIV and AIDS between 2007/08 and 2008/09. The total expenditure
during the financial year 2007/08 was M408.77 million. It increased to M 626.95
million in 2008/09. The impact on the pandemic itself does not justify these
huge expenditures.
4.0 Understanding Advocacy
In order for the users of this document to benefit from its content, it is important
at this point to define advocacy; what it is and how to use it as a tool for
attaining objectives and development in general. This Strategy is neither
exhaustive nor prescriptive, but defines the general scope and priorities of issues
affecting PLHIV in Lesotho that can guide all those who are making efforts to
improve on the situation of PLHIV.
In order for Advocacy work to be successful, one needs to consider all the
related aspects of Advocacy as shown in the table below; Medial Mix,
Formative Research, Social Media, Budget, Seminars and Conferences,
Networks and Alliances, Lobbying, Reports and Briefings.
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In this context, advocacy is defined as a planned strategic process used by
development agencies, civil society groups and individuals to bring about
change to policies, positions or programmes of any type. Advocacy is more
than just obtaining a statement of commitment. It requires that words become
action; that plans and programmes are developed to bring about the required
changes; that the necessary financial and human resources to address the
issue are made available; and that meaningful changes are seen.
Advoca
cy
Media Mix and
Exposure
Seminars and
Conferences
Networks and
Alliances
Lobbying
Reports and
Briefings
Budget
Active Social
Media
Research and
Analysis
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Several definitions have been quoted as benchmarks for Advocacy:
"Advocacy is a process to bring about change in the policies, laws and
practices of influential individuals, groups and institutions."
Reference: Adapted from advocacy skills-building workshop for HIV/AIDS,
International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Zimbabwe, July 2001.
"Advocacy is an ongoing process aiming at change of attitudes, actions,
policies and laws by influencing people and organisations with power, systems
and structures at different levels for the betterment of people affected by the
issue."
Reference: Adapted from an advocacy skills-building workshop, India HIV/AIDS
Alliance, India, November 2002.
In the Lesotho stakeholders’ workshop participants agreed that a working
definition for Lesotho should include terms such as:
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• Pleading and or interceding for betterment of PLHIV’s
• Change of attitude, laws and Policies
• Influencing individual and organisations with power
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• With Passion and empathy
• Inclusive process of both HIV Positive and HIV Negative People
• Ongoing Process
Advocacy is an inclusive, ongoing process of pleading and or interceding with
passion and empathy to influence individuals and organisations with power for
the betterment of People Living with HIV.
Reference: Adapted from an Advocacy and Communication Strategy
Workshop; Lesotho Network of People Living With HIV and AIDS (LENEPWHA),
Maseru, Lesotho
4.1. Purpose and Objectives of the Strategy
4.1.1 The Strategy is intended to assist policy and decision makers, donors,
leaders of communities and institutions, programme personnel as well as
LENEPWHA to understand and appreciate the key issues confronting people
living with HIV and AIDS, and to guide them in making and implementing
informed policy, strategic and programme decisions and actions to improve on
the lives of PLHIV.
It seeks to establish an enabling environment, commitment and action among
stakeholders that can bring about comprehensive, sufficient and effective
promotion, protection and fulfillment of rights and needs of people infected and
affected by HIV and AIDS including their sufficient participation in all these
efforts in all possible roles at community, national, regional and global levels.
The Strategy prioritizes key issues in the region that require attention and does not
undermine other issues that need to be addressed that may not be highlighted in
this document.
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4.1.2 Objectives
Specific objectives are:
• To define a common understanding among all stakeholders, of priority issues
affecting LENEPWHA and PLHIV in general, that require advocacy and
urgent action in Lesotho
• To enhance commitment and urgent action from all stakeholders to improve
services to people infected and affected by HIV and reduce stigma and
discrimination
• To provide the scope and guidance to LENEPWHA, AIDS Service
Organisations and HIV and AIDS programmes of Government, private sector
and civil society including religious organizations on designing and
conducting advocacy for increased support to people infected and
affected by HIV and AIDS and reduction of stigma and discrimination
• To provide a framework or guide that will enable LENEPWHA and its partners
and alliances to carryout joint Advocacy work for PLHIVs in Lesotho
4.1.3 Outputs
The Strategy is expected to bring about:
 Improved common understanding by all stakeholders, on issues affecting
people infected and affected by HIV at national and community levels in
Lesotho
 Improved commitment and action by all those with responsibilities and
capacity to improve the lives of people infected and affected by HIV in
Lesotho
27

Advocacy is nothing new. Individuals and groups have always tried to influence
people in power, in their private lives and as part of their work. Advocacy work
takes on many shapes. In relation to HIV/AIDS it can include a child defending
her orphaned cousin against stigma, a drama performed by actors living with
HIV/AIDS concerning their rights, or a meeting with a country’s Prime Minister. It
is possible to advocate for ourselves or for other people. Advocacy is only one
approach to undertaking HIV prevention, care and impact mitigation work.
Other approaches include community mobilisation, education, public health
measures, and distribution of condoms, good medical services and community
support. Advocacy can make all these methods more effective, by gaining the
support of people in power and changing the social environment in which we
work. Almost all NGOs and CBO’s already have experience of doing advocacy
– even if they do not realise it, or do not use the word ‘advocacy’. The purpose
of the following activities is to reach a shared understanding of advocacy.
Examples of Advocacy In Action:
• When Treatment Action Campaign bought generic drugs from India in
defiance of the Drugs Policy that was in effect in South Africa at the time.
• When ARASA called a press conference to highlight the world that HIV
Positive Women were being sterilised without their consent in Namibia.
• When LENEPWHA signed a petition on World AIDS Day of 2008 demanding
that the President of LENEPWHA National Executive Committee be a full time
member of the National AIDS Commission Board.
• When the Senior Social Worker demanded that inmates have condoms at
the Lesotho Correctional Services despite Policy and Practices which did not
allow it.
28

• When Lesotho PLHIVs complained in the Media about the disfigurement and
peripheral neuropathy that was caused by Stavudine on their bodies
(Lipodystrophy).
• When the LENEPWHA Secretariat challenged the then Minister of Health and
Social Welfare on the Policy of providing ARV drugs for only one month
instead of three months.
CAN YOU THINK OF ANY OTHER ADVOCACY ISSUES?
Use these questions to help structure your case study:
1. What was the problem?
2. Who decided to advocate addressing the problem (i.e., brief details of the
NGOs/community groups involved, including any people directly affected
by the issue)?
3. What was the advocacy objective?
4. Who did you advocate to?
5. What methods did you use?
6. What difficulties did you face?
7. How did you overcome any difficulties?
8. What were the results of your advocacy?
9. What sources of assistance/support did you find most helpful?
10.What did you learn from doing this advocacy?
Different ways of doing advocacy
• Advocacy can take many different forms – for example, it can be written,
spoken, sung or acted.
• It can also vary in the time it takes, from one hour to several years.
• We can do advocacy work on our own or with others. Involvement or
permission from people affected by the advocacy issue is always important.
29

• Some of the most powerful advocacy methods are led by the people
affected by the problem or issue, or directly involve them.
• It is very important to receive the permission of the people affected by the
problem if we use methods that do not directly involve them in the advocacy
work. This permission allows us to legitimately advocate for them or represent
them (legitimacy or representation). This is only possible if we have a very close
relationship with people affected by the problem or issue.
Proactive or reactive advocacy
• Sometimes advocacy work is forced on us – the problem or issue is already
there, and we use advocacy to reduce the problem. This is reactive advocacy.
• At other times it is possible to plan for the future, to ‘set the agenda’ and use
advocacy to create a positive environment or prevent a problem before it
happens. This is proactive advocacy.
30

Methods of doing Advocacy
There are several methods of doing Advocacy, some are more complicated than others, some are more
sombre than others and some are more radical than others. While there is no one best way of doing
advocacy, there are those which are more effective than others. There are situations however where
organisations find themselves resorting to the less popular methods because the political, economical or social
environment demands that those methods that pinch hard (or embarrass the policy makers) are the only ones
that yield results.
The table below seeks to prioritise the more successful and often used methods where 5 star means best
method and 1 star is worst method.
Advocacy Method What is it and what are its Advantages and
Disadvantages
Level of importance
Press Conferences
* * * * *
Interviews
* * * * *

Press Releases
* * * * *
Seminars and Conferences
* * * * *
Articles
* * * * *
Campaining
* * * * *
Lobbying
Phone-in to popular Radio
Stations
* * * * *
Inviting top officials to
special occasions
* * * * *
Using celebrities to speak on
our behalf (it can also be a
PLHIV if possible)
* * * * *
Mediation
* * * * *
32

Kongonyia (Toyi-toyi)
* * * * *
Stay way (go slow)
demonstrations (especially
for workplace issues)
* * * * *
Boycott
* * * * *
33

Forming Coalitions: Advantages and Disadvantages
Coalitions are invaluable in advocacy because they create structures for
organizations and individuals to share ownership of common goals. Advocacy
work can be strengthened considerably through the use of coalitions. However,
there are both advantages and disadvantages to forming or joining a coalition.
Decisions on joining a coalition should only be taken after careful consideration
following research and risk analysis. Decide whether working with the coalition is
the best way to solve your problem, and whether your values and approaches
can be shared.
Working with coalitions may have the following advantages:
Advantages of working in coalitions:
• Enlarges your base of support, networks and connections; gives strength in
numbers: you can achieve more together than you can alone.
• Provides safety for advocacy efforts and protection for members who
may not be able to take action alone, particularly when operating in a
hostile or difficult environment.
• Magnifies existing financial and human resources by pooling them
together and by delegating work to others in the coalition.
• Reduces duplication of effort and resources.
• Enhances the credibility and influence of an advocacy campaign, as well
as that of individual coalition members.
• Helps develop new leadership skills amongst members.
• Assists in individual and organizational networking.
• Facilitates exchange of information, skills, experience, materials,
opportunities for collaboration etc.

• Brings together a diverse range of people and organizations. Diversity can
strengthen a campaign by broadening perspective and understanding of
the issue. It can also assist outreach by appealing to a wider population
base with differing priorities and interests.
• Provides peer support, encouragement, motivation and professional
recognition.
Disadvantages of working in coalitions:
• Can lack clear objectives, or be difficult to agree common objectives.
• Forming and managing a coalition can be a very time-consuming and
bureaucratic process that can take away time from working directly on
campaign issues and organizational tasks.
• May be dominated by one powerful organization. Power is not always
distributed equally among members; larger or richer organizations can
have more say in decisions.
• May require you to compromise your position on issues or tactics.
• Shared decision-making can be slow and may paralyze progress.
• Can often be constrained by a lack of resources.
• Potential for donor interference (e.g. a donor is interested in funding
certain activities but there is a danger of planning activities only because
you know you can get the funds).
• You may not always get credit for your work. Sometimes the coalition as a
whole gets recognition rather than individual members. Or certain
members get or claim more recognition than others, causing conflict and
resentment.
• If the coalition process breaks down it can harm everyone's advocacy by
damaging members' credibility.
• Coalition activities can be difficult to monitor and evaluate.
35

Health Warning! All these problems can be overcome and are not reasons to
not get more involved in coalitions - they just things to be wary of.
4.2 Advocacy Steps & Process
Step 1: Identify challenges to be addressed
It is important to identify the key issues that will need to be addressed. Issues can
be drawn from informal discussions with the people affected, research, data,
and interviews. These issues are analyzed to determine the causes,
consequences and possible solutions to the problems. The Advocacy and
Communication Strategy provides a broad overview of the key issues and
concerns facing PLHIV across Lesotho around which advocacy initiatives may
be crafted. Local experiences around these issues are likely to vary and hence,
issue identification and crafting of advocacy campaigns will need to be
sensitive to these differences.
The 28 problems stated in the work plan are examples of such issues and have been identified already.
Please note that there will be other advocacy issues along the way (re-active advocacy) that will need to
be tackled as they come by.
Step 2: Develop objectives for advocacy
The objectives should be aimed at reaching specific outcomes which should link
directly with the evidence from the analysis of issues or problems. Objectives
should share one common feature – that of being SMART: Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
Let us compare two examples of objectives:
1. We would like LENEPWHA to be self-sufficient and sustainable (with)
2. By June 2016, we would like LENEPWHA to have raised enough resources to sustain its operations
for the next five years ending 2012
The second objective is SMART because it is Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Realistic and
Timebound
Step 3: Identify the audience
36

Highlight the main audience that the advocacy effort will be directed at.
Crucial to this step is the identification of primary and secondary audience. The
primary audience is people who can make decisions on an issue, commonly
called decision-makers. The secondary audience refers to people who can
influence the decision-makers including staff, advisors or influential elders, the
media and the public.
The audience differs depending on the problem that we want solved. If the problem is lack of services for
sex workers which increases their vulnerability and the vulnerability of their clients to HIV, we may need to
change the attitudes of Law makers, religious leaders and cultural gate keepers about sex work. We need
to show the religious leaders (by using media) that we do not condone sex work but that we should all be
pro-life. We need to convince them that we should not judge others and that we should empathize with
others and understand that there are deeper fundamental social problems that have brought about sex
work. We then show the primary audience (with support from convinced religious leaders) that laws
should be made to protect all life which is enshrined in the fundamental human rights.
Step 4: Develop broad based partnerships (Alliances)
Partners are those people and organizations that share the same concerns as
you or because they may benefit directly, or because they share the same
objectives and want to bring about the proposed changes as part of a broader
movement. Consider how you want to the partnership to work, for instance, in
communicating and dealing with those stakeholders who may be undecided
(fence sitters) over an advocacy issue, or simply opposed to the aims and
objectives that your advocacy initiative seeks to achieve.
Alliances are those people and organizations that we do advocacy with. A good partnership mix is very
important. If we continue with our previous example of sex workers, we need to recruit NGOs that protect
the rights of vulnerable groups (or in these case women). Good examples would be UNFPA (protecting
sexual reproductive rights) FIDA and WLSA (Protecting rights of women) and LPPA (Protecting a right of
women to reproduction and reproductive health). We may have LCN as an overall seer of all NGOs like
LENEPWHA.
Step 5: Identify resources
Any advocacy initiative requires human, material and financial resources that
need to be ascertained and a strategy put in place to mobilise them.
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"The advocacy officer will take the lead in all advocacy initiatives and will require transportation, materials
used for printing, recording, funding for research, holding workshops, dialogues, radio slots, conferences,
inviting celebrities to participate where necessary. At other times, the advocacy may need to be assisted
by identified individuals, staff members and or partners with whom the advocacy activity at hand can be
achieved."
Step 6: Create an action plan
The action plan outlines the steps to be undertaken to achieve the objectives. It
may include meetings, social mobilization, communication, working with the
media to bring about the desired change.1
This is a typical action plan where you list; Issue (or what the problem is), Goal which an overall objective.
Under the overall objective is its breakdown into specific (or smart objective), target is the Law or policy
makers you are raising your issue with (this is typically Government), Activities are the specific actions
you will take, resources is the human, financial and time you need to achieve your objectives, Potential
partners is the people or organizations that will support you, contributions will be what the partners bring
with them which can be time, finances and human expertise (or mere presence), timeframe is the time
you have allocated yourself for achievement of such goals, Medium is the communication that will be
used to achieve the goals (which can be radio, television, newspapers or social media). Medium also
includes whether you want to do a pres release, distribute pamphlets, organize a campaign or do a
research presentation highlighting the plight of LENEPWHA or of PLHIVs, expected outcomes is the end
result of your activities, and indicator is how you will measure if you have achieved your goals.
ISSUE:
GOAL:
Objectives:
Target Activities Resources Potential
Partner
Contribution Timeframe Medium
to be
used
Expected
outcomes
Indicator
Step 7: Monitor and evaluate
A monitoring and evaluation plan with clear indicators needs to be put in place
during the planning stage. Process indicators monitor how actions in support of
the strategy or initiative are proceeding. These indicators determine whether the
strategy is working or whether alternative approaches need to be followed. The
plan will provide information on the contribution of different stakeholders and
1
Council For international Development Resource Kit
38

will assist in redirecting the advocacy strategy if so desired. Outcome indicators
relate to the objectives and the goal.
Indicators are a good measure of whether you have achieved your goals and thus the M&E Framework
should collect all the indicators. This need to be measured along the way (process indicators) and may
change overtime depending on the midterm evaluations on whether you are on the right track.
4.3 Systemic - Human Rights Based Approach to Addressing the Needs and
Participation of PLHIV
The assumption that guides this Strategy is that building a common
understanding of the complex interrelationships characterizing HIV and AIDS
between all stakeholders (PLHIV, civil society, Government, private sector,
donors, development organizations, etc.) will result in these stakeholders taking
individual and collective actions to improve on service delivery for people living
with HIV and AIDS.
This assumption is in line with the philosophical foundation of the Millenium
Development Goals adopted in 2000, which recognize that respect, promotion,
protection and fulfillment of human rights is central to empowering individuals
and communities to respond to HIV and AIDS, to reduce vulnerability to
infection, and to mitigate the adverse impact of those infected and affected by
the epidemic. The human rights approach recognizes that People Living with
HIV and AIDS should be regarded as people who have rights deserving of the
inherent dignity of human life regardless of their condition. Together with systems
thinking, which underscores a holistic view of the complexity and
interrelationships that define the response to the HIV and AIDS, the human rights
based approach recognizes that there are various stakeholders (duty bearers)
at local, national, regional and international levels who can undertake
significant complimenting roles and responsibilities to improve on challenges
posed by HIV and AIDS.
39

These philosophical understandings, together with the core values for
implementing the Strategy highlighted later in this document, form the basis for
guiding the interpretation and efforts to address challenges facing PLHIV as
defined in this Strategy.
4.4 The Audience of the Advocacy and Communication Strategy
The audience of the Strategy can be classified as those individuals or institutions
which will be called upon through advocacy to bring about change as well and
those who will use or refer to it to design advocacy programmes.
The audience for this Strategy includes policy makers, decision makers, funding
partners, implementing partners representing government institutions, policy
makers, private sector, religious institutions, bi-lateral and multi-lateral institutions,
civil society organizations and networks, organized labour, the media, People
Living with HIV and communities, etc. who can provide or facilitate support to
PLHIV. Social Media has also become an easy and accessible form of
communicating to a big audience.
5.0 THE CORE VALUES OF THE ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
Implementation of the Strategy is guided by the following minimum core
values.
5.1Recognition of Human Rights - Advocacy initiatives should consider the
promotion, respect, protection and fulfillment of the human rights of PLHIV
(such as rights to human dignity, security and protection).
5.2Mainstreaming of support to PLHIV - Advocacy efforts should take a
systemic (holistic) and futuristic view of HIV and AIDS and development
40

and mobilize all individuals and sectors of society to play their individual
and collective roles, collaborate, complement each other and sustain
effective efforts to address problems affecting PLHIV. Advocacy initiatives
should be targeted and matched recognizing the comparative
advantage of different stakeholders in order to achieve optimum effect
and results.
5.3Upholding sensitivity to vulnerability, children and gender - Priority should
be given to defining and addressing issues of marginalization, gross
inequities and vulnerability.
5.4Ensuring adequate participation of people infected and affected by HIV
and AIDS and broad based support from relevant stakeholders. The
principles of GIPA should be a cornerstone to all advocacy and the
actions that result from such efforts. Children and young people who are
infected and affected are being neglected in PLHIV programmes - GIPA.
Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS; Guiding principle
behind many interventions and strategies; PLHIV have a crucial role to
play in managing the epidemic; Society creates the context; Many forms
and applications.
5.5Promoting universal access to treatment, care and support – All people
who require treatment, care and support should receive it in adequate
proportions regardless of who they are.
5.6Ensuring sustainability of advocacy efforts and resultant actions –The
impact of advocacy may be realized in the short, medium to long term.
Advocacy efforts should recognize the importance of building an
environment and systems that enable sustainable responses and actions.
41

6. PRIORITY AREAS AND STRATEGIES FOR ADVOCACY IN LESOTHO
The priority areas and strategies that are reflected in this Strategy are not
exhaustive. The extent to which they are considered as requiring advocacy may
differ at regional, national and community levels based on the mandate and
comparative advantages of different organizations or stakeholders. Advocacy
strategies and communication approaches should be tailored to the particular
level, audience and situation.
6.1 Priorities for Advocacy
The major issues affecting PLHIV that require advocacy in Lesotho can be
classified under three main areas covering: increasing access to treatment care
and support; reducing stigma and discrimination; strengthening institutional and
organizational capacity development and resources for networks.
6.1.1 Increasing Access to Treatment of PLHIV
The priorities for advocacy identified with respect to treatment include the
following:
• Reducing the high cost of second line ARV treatment. While there has been
significant reduction in the cost of first line ARV treatment in Lesotho, the cost
of second line treatment remain high and inaccessible.
• Reducing secondary costs of treatment - The overall cost of treatment goes
beyond the cost of drugs and includes the cost of transport to individuals to
and from treatment centers, food and nutrition, palliative care and support
services and treatment of other opportunistic infections. These costs prohibit
people living with HIV and AIDS from seeking treatment even in cases where
drugs may be provided for free.
• Harmonizing and regulating the treatment provided by traditional healers
and health service centers to avoid dual treatment for individuals and false
42

claims of cure. Research on the efficacy of local traditional drugs and
medicines should be strengthened.
• Increasing access to pediatric treatment in the region - Infants and children
require special ART treatment, care and support skills and services from those
offered to adults. Services should be provided to all children who require it.
• Improving treatment literacy among community – Communities should be
prepared to understand more about treatment and their role in ensuring that
it is provided effectively.
6.1.2 Increasing access to voluntary counseling and testing (VCT)
• Strengthening the health infrastructure, human resources and skills, referral
systems in order to achieve effective treatment and VCT services at all levels
including in difficult to reach areas and rural communities.
6.1.3 Reducing Stigma & Discrimination
The priorities identified with respect to stigma and discrimination are as follows:
• Promoting analytical media reporting on HIV and AIDS – Media reporting
should ensure that more voices of PLHIV are heard as opposed to the current
situation in which HIV and AIDS is reported from the perspective of
programme people, experts and eminent persons. Stories should equally
reflect all issues affecting PLHIV.
• Ensuring that legislative frameworks protect PLHIV in particular women.
Existing policies and legislative frameworks need to be reviewed to ensure
that they protect PLHIV from stigma and discrimination and promote their
care and support.
• Ensuring the acceleration of mainstreaming of gender into HIV and AIDS
programmes – Better understanding of the dynamics in the causes and
impact of HIV and AIDS should be promoted among men in all sectors of
43

socio-economic and political development to eliminate blame on women as
primarily responsible for the spread of the epidemic.
• Promoting the review, development and implementation of workplace
policies and programmes on HIV /AIDS in accordance with Lesotho and
SADC codes of practice.
• Accelerating the participation of PLHIV in HIV prevention efforts - Space or
enabling environment should be created to allow more PLHIV to participate
in HIV prevention efforts to avoid secondary infection as well as support
prevention of infection among those who are not HIV positive.
6.1.4 Increasing Access to Care & Support
The advocacy priorities for care and support are:
• Integrating nutrition and food security into care and support programmes –
Adequate nutrition and food security should be provided to PLHIV, their
families and vulnerable groups who need support.
• Increasing access to social grants to PLHIV, orphans and vulnerable children.
The identification and sharing of best practices on programmes to support
Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Lesotho should be enhanced.
• Strengthening care and support programmes as part of treatment
programmes
6.1.5 Strengthening the Institutional and Organizational Arrangements for
LENEPWHA
The institutional arrangement priority issues have been defined as follows:
• Ensuring adequate participation of PLHIV in national, regional, and
international decision making bodies and institutions
• Increasing support and financing for LENEPWHA. More resources should be
provided to LENEPWHA to strengthen capacity for good governance and to
implement programmes. Funding and project commitments should be of a
longer term nature to ensure continuity and effectiveness of efforts.
44

6.2 Strategies for the Framework
The Framework adopts the following as strategies for advocacy:
6.2.1 Promoting policy development and harmonization on specific issues.
Advocacy will push for the review, development and or harmonization of
specific policies in areas that affect PLHIV to ensure long term Government
and political commitment.
6.2.2 Strengthening institutional and organizational capacity of LENEPWHA for
effective PLHIV participation in the response to HIV and AIDS. The Strategy
calls for increased support to enhance management efficiency of networks.
Participation of PLHIV can only be meaningful and sustainable if their
networks and organizations have adequate management and technical
capacity.
6.2.3 Developing technical, political and developmental partnerships, networks
or alliances. Stronger partnerships, networks and alliances will provide forum
for dialogue and consultation as well technical and moral support between
various stakeholders to address issues affecting PLHIV in the immediate to
long term.
6.2.4 Conducting research and seeking better technical understanding of
issues. Advocacy issues that are based on practical experience and facts
will stand a better chance of being accepted and being acted upon by
duty bearers than those that are not factual and poorly backed by
evidence. Research and clear understanding and articulation of issues will
form the basis for developing issue or position papers and action.
45

6.2.5 Mobilizing resources to support advocacy. Advocacy efforts of any kind
would require financial, technical and material resources to be executed
and sustained. In addition, PLHIV can also play a role in mobilizing resources
to ensure that those targeted by advocacy or duty bearers can have
resources to take action.
6.2.6 Placing the strengthening of service delivery and social support systems at
the top of the agenda. Advocacy efforts will call for strengthening health
delivery and social support systems to respond to special needs of PLHIV.
6.2.7 Conducting regular monitoring and evaluation on progress and impact of
advocacy efforts.
6.3 Advocacy Communication Approaches
6.3.1 The Strategy promotes dialogue oriented communication aimed at
building collective consensus among relevant stakeholders on issues
affecting PLHIV and identifying them with individual and collective roles
and responsibilities to address these issues. It is premised on building and
strengthening trust between networks of PLHIV and other stakeholders who
have responsibilities and capacity to bring about the required changes.
6.3.2 Communication methods and channels that can be used in advocacy
include but not limited to: meetings with individuals or groups of target
audience; media (electronic – television, internet, e-mail) campaigns;
drama; seminars, workshops and conferences through which resolutions
will be developed and adopted; peaceful demonstrations; publications;
policy briefs; focus group discussions, etc. Specific communication
methods can be used on their own or in combination depending on the
46

demands of the situation. The method used should be informative and
persuasive.
7.0 What is Communication for Advocacy?
Many of the elements required for good advocacy communications are
the same as those that should be used in all communication work. But
communication for Advocacy is not the same as for example, more
general communication like; newsletters, or fundraising materials or
general information about work.
What defines advocacy communication is that they focus tightly on
audiences and using specific messages in order to deliver changes in
attitude, policy or practice.
In general, successful advocacy communication requires clear objectives,
knowledge of the intended audience, language appropriate for that
audience and content that is short, specific and to the point. Ideally these
communications should be supported by an advocacy communication
strategy which should include a section on how different pieces of
communications work will be monitored and evaluated.
7.1 Essential Elements for Effective Communication
A communications strategy that includes:
• a clear vision
• knowing your audience
• realistic objectives
• monitoring and evaluation indicators
• a well thought through programme for developing:
o key messages
47

o policy recommendations and proposals
o case studies, if possible, with strong photography
o a calendar of key events, dates and communication opportunities
Communication messages and ideas that will
o persuade and motivate
o create awareness
o create a sense of injustice in order to mobilise support
o gain the endorsement / interest of the media
o have impact and stand out from other “communications clutter”
Why Communications are Important for Advocacy
Advocacy is all about influencing and persuading individuals and institutions to
change and this will not happen unless you are able to communicate your
ideas and proposals effectively.
Types of Advocacy Communications
The different types of advocacy communications include, for example:
I. Formal presentations of research and recommendations
II. Policy reports
III. Lobbying decision-makers
IV. Using the media to get your messages across to policymakers or the public
V. Lobby briefs
VI. Managing a dynamic website
VII. Generally using social media; email, bloggs, videos, facebook, discussion
forums like googlegroups, twitter, youtube, internet-based surveys like
monkeysurveys and mobilephone based forums like whatsapp.
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7.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT MEDIA IN RELATION TO ADVOCACY
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES WHAT IS WANTED WHAT IS NOT WANTED
Television Quick, combines
visuals and sound and
has a
large reach
Expensive and not
accessible by all, work to
tight deadlines and work
to tight guidelines
It allows visuals,
interviews, style and
appeals to a wide
interest
You may NOT present
technical issues and
events that have
already passed on TV
Radio Portable, capable of
rapid reaction, news
Broadcast
immediately, widely
accessible and
affordable, local
languages, message
can be repeated
many times by
Presenters
Sound only, stories
usually very short, works
to very tight deadlines.
FM stations cover small
areas so costs can be
High
Availability for
interviews, style,
controversy, local
interest, strong sound
bites
You may not present
visuals, complex data
and statistics or
events that have
already happened

Print Reaches a broader
audience, is accessible
and affordable, gives
in-depth coverage
with
more details,
dedicates more time
to a story and a story
can be followed over
time
Not as immediate or as
visuals as TV or radio, no
sound or moving
pictures, stories decided
morning before
publication, deadlines
afternoon before
publication afternoon,
readers choose the
articles they wish to read
(remember Basotho are
rumored to NOT like
reading very much)
A strong angle, local
interest, human
stories, background
information,
quotations, facts &
figures, photographs
colours much
cheaper than Radio
or TV
You may NOT present
too many technical
terms, or stories that
have already been
reported on TV or
Radio
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Are You Ready to Use the Media to Achieve your Advocacy Aims? This below is
a useful checklist for assessing whether you are ready for media work to support
your advocacy. Do not worry if you cannot answer yes to all the questions.
7.3 MEDIA READY CHECKLIST
7.3.1 Organisational Assessment:
• Does LENEPWHA have a communications strategy?
• Has this strategy been discussed and developed with key stakeholders
as part of your overall influencing plan?
• Is the strategy revised on a regular basis as your advocacy work
evolves?
7.3.2 Organisational Infrastructure:
• Does your advocacy budget have a communications component?
• Do you have a staff person who has responsibility for carrying out the
communications strategy and coordinating media efforts in your
LENEPWHA?
• Has LENEPWHA identified its primary, formal spokespersons?
• Does LENEPWHA’s Advocacy Officer need media training and
preparation?
• Is the chain of decision-making for media statements clearly
designated and understood by everyone within the organisation?
7.3.3 Media Systems:
• Are your media lists up-to-date, complete with names of editors,
reporters or producers for all media outlets you plan to use?

• Do you know deadlines, work hours and preferred communications
modes for key people who work on your public policy issues?
• Do your lists distinguish types of coverage: news, feature, editorial,
columns, and calendars?
• Do you have a calendar of significant events related to your
advocacy issue?
• Do you have a clipping file and impact log for all relevant media
coverage and for a complete record of coverage of your
organisation’s work?
• Are you in regular contact with the editor and reporters you have
designated as key contacts?
7.3.4 Messages, Stories and Other Materials
• Do you have accurate, concise, interesting information about your
organisation – its mission, history, programmes and services?
• Have you shaped a clear message and talking points for the
advocacy issue you plan to raise?
• Have you held introductory meetings with members of the press who
are likely to cover your organisation and issues?
• Have you got a plan for ‘rapid response’ to an opportunity or a crisis
that presents itself with little warning?
7.4 Why Have a Communications Strategy for Advocacy?
Having a strategy and developing creative advocacy communications
can help you to actively promote your issues and set the agenda rather
than simply reacting to the external environment. In addition, a strategy
will encourage efficient use of resources and time.
(Check Advocacy Steps and Process on 4.1 in conjunction with the table
below)
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Having a strategy and developing creative advocacy communications can
help you to actively promote your issues and set the agenda rather than simply
reacting to the external environment. In addition, a strategy will encourage
efficient use of resources and time.
In order to develop your strategy you will need to answer the following questions
• Why do you want to communicate?
• What do you expect to achieve as a result?
• Who do you need to communicate with (audiences)?
• What do you want to say to them?
• Which types of communication vehicles are most appropriate?
• What resources do you have and/or need?
• Who will do what, and when (alliances)?
• How will your work be monitored and evaluated?
Developing a good advocacy communications strategy will help you plan and
manage your work properly and ensure that you target the people who have
the power to make the changes you want to see.
Your strategy will create a shared understanding of what you are trying to
achieve within your organisation and provide a foundation for consistent
communications across all units. It should also improve internal awareness of
your issue and allow non-advocacy and communication staff to be more
involved in advocacy.
7.5 Template for an Advocacy Story
7.5.1 Synopsis/Introduction:
A first paragraph that summarises in a
few simple words, the key messages
As LENEPWHA, it has come to our
attention that PLHIVs have been
53

you want to get across; getting only a two week supply of ARV
at ARV Swallows
Why the issue is important (or what is
the Problem?); who is involved or
affected (Audience), and Where; Why
it is significant right now; How the
situation has arisen and what needs to
happen.
This is an issue of serious concern as it
will negatively affect adherence and
cause untimely death among PLHIV
who are our constituency. This is cause
by ignorance of the Ministry’s
procurement and supply chain and it
needs to be corrected urgently.
7.5.2 The next 1 – 2 paragraphs need to
establish: The Setting:
Give your audience a sense of place;
Urban, rural, suburban? Technology-
rich or barely equipped?
Help others imagine the situation and
place you are talking about.
The Key Characters: Who’s important
to the story—a particular individual, or
a local council, or mothers, service
providers or the government?
Introduce your lead characters. Who
are the heroes? Who are the villains?
Help us imagine them. Better still, help
us care about them.
Imagine a mother, who has two
children, leaves in the rural areas
where there are no livelihoods, has lost
a husband who was the sole
breadwinner, dying from such
ignorance and leaving two young girl
children as double orphans.
Relatives might end up chasing these
girls out of their home, school and
community and giving these girls off as
domestic workers or sex slaves.
7.5.3 The following 2 – 3 paragraphs
should deal with: The Plot:
What has happened or is happening
that people need to know about?
What is the source of tension or
This needs based approaches to
health leave our people vulnerable
and at the mercy of a system that is
ignorant and apathetic to the needs
of our people.
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catalyst for change? A new or
forthcoming policy; plans for new
services; a difficult situation that has
got worse; the arrival of new
technology, etc.
7.5.4 Conclusion:
The last paragraph should summarise
the lasting outcomes if the situation
continues as it is, positive or negative;
what needs to change in terms of
policy or practice;
What has changed already - for better
or for worse; why it matters; and what
the audience could do to improve
things.
Link the conclusion to your introduction
to remind the audience why the issue
is so important.
Because of situations like this, the cycle
of vulnerability to females, PLHIVs and
children keep repeating itself. These
children, if not infected already, will be
prone to a harsh life where they can
also be abused and get infected.
We need you to help us hold
accountable those people who have
failed in their duties to protect lives.
We need you our audience to lobby
with us and pass this message on and
show the world what plight PLHIV
continue to have.
55

STEPS IN DEVELOPING AN ADVOCACY COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
Step One: Review past advocacy communications
Carry out a brief review of past communications work. What types of
communications have been produced and for what purpose? What were the
worst communications and what went wrong with these? What were the best
communications? What were the key features that made them a success?
What lessons have been learned? Has anything changed in the external
environment that would prompt a change in the type or style of future
communications?
Review Past
Communication
Set Objectives
Identify Audiences
Prepare Messages
Plan Communication Mix
Internal Promotions
Set Budget and Resources
Decide Timeline and Phasing
Plan Monitoring and Indicators
Smart Check !!!
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Step Two – Set objectives for communications on this advocacy initiative
Setting clear objectives is the key to success. Your advocacy communications
consume scarce time and resources and cannot be treated as an end in them.
Simply producing communications materials is not enough. They must have an
impact and play a constructive role in supporting the achievement of the
specific objectives for advocacy. “Be brutally honest:
is there a purpose to what you want to say?”
Start by asking if advocacy communications are necessary? What will they
contribute to the overall advocacy strategy? Being clear about what you
expect communications to achieve is the basis for setting objectives.
Remember that when setting objectives it is important to be realistic in relation
to the budget, staff resources and timeframe for the work as well as making sure
that the objectives are measurable.
Step Three - Identify audiences
Section Three includes detailed information about identifying and defining your
audiences. To be effective in advocacy communications work, it is important to
be as specific as possible about the audiences that you need to target. [E.g. If we
need to target the low supply of ARV, we may not simply target the Ministry of Health or a small rural
clinic. We need to know which specific office, or director or committee deals with supply of ARVs, the
procurement office for ARVs, were the ARVs are financed from and the whole supply chain from the
country of origin to the end user and all these would be our target]
Step Four – Prepare messages
Section Three explains what messages are and how to develop them. A
message should capture the essential elements of what you are trying to
achieve, why it needs to change, how you plan to change it, and what you
57

want the audience to do about it. It must be short. And its language must be
easily understood by your target audience(s).
Step Five - Plan the communications mix
Consider the best tools and vehicles for getting your messages across to your
target audiences.
First, consider the kinds of communications tools or products that would be
attractive to each of your separate target audiences. Ideally, there should be
different products for different audiences but this may stretch resources too far.
So it may be necessary to be realistic about what is possible with limited
financial and human resources and either priorities or find vehicles that will
reach multiple audiences.
EXAMPLE: DIFFERENT PRODUCTS FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES
• a single page of bullet points for attracting the attention of busy decision-makers
• a light-hearted, colour, A5 leaflet with bullet points and pictures for younger stakeholders
• a three page executive summary or policy brief with more details for interested stakeholders and
senior officials
• a printed postcard with key messages addressed to the decision-maker with space for supporters to
add their own comments before sending
• a twenty page policy report capturing your key research findings, analysis and policy
recommendations for officials, administrators, practitioners and sister organisations
• a computer game highlighting your issue for teenagers
• a one page press release on an issue-significant day to attract the attention of news media
Step Six - Internal promotion
Do not forget to keep everyone in your organisation informed about your
advocacy communication plans and activities. If external communications are
successful, staff are likely to be asked about the advocacy issue and plans for
taking it forward by their families, friends and outside colleagues. If they are
properly briefed they will be able to act as informal ambassadors.
58

It is especially important to keep the head of your organisation, directors and
trustees informed. They will not appreciate learning about your advocacy
initiative by hearing it on the news!
Internal promotion can be done through:
• involving staff in the development of advocacy and communications strategies
• presentations
• face-to-face meetings with key internal stakeholders
• conference calls with staff in other locations and
• email updates
Step Seven - Set budget and staff resources
Determine how much money will be available across financial years when the
strategy will be implemented. Assess the communications skills of existing staff
and the time they will be able to contribute to your activities. Consider the
communications hardware you have – computers, telephone, mobile or internet
connections, photocopying or printing facilities, etc. – and whether you need to
buy, hire or borrow more. If necessary, consider fundraising to enable specific
activities to take place, or additional staff to be hired.
Step Eight - Decide timeline and phasing of activities
Plan and schedule different activities; Explore possible “hooks” that would make
your issue and messages interesting to journalists. Are there any special events or
opportunities to promote your advocacy objectives?
These might include international conferences, legislative processes,
Government announcements or International Days, etc.
Step Nine - Plan monitoring and indicators
Monitoring the progress and impact of your advocacy communications is
necessary in order to know whether you are meeting your objectives or not. It
59

enables you to know which types of communications are successful and which
need adjustment to make them more effective.
Furthermore, continuous monitoring is an essential foundation for an overall
evaluation of your strategy. When you come to finally evaluate the overall
advocacy communications strategy, some of the questions that you should ask
include:
• Did we use the right products or tools to reach the right audiences?
• Did our audiences understand our messages? How do we know this?
• Did we build a strong base of external support for our advocacy
objectives?
• Were we able to establish or build good relationships with the media?
• Was the budget and staff time adequate?
• What effect did our advocacy communications work have on our
organisation?
• Has the way our organisation is perceived by outsiders changed?
• What external changes happened as a result of our advocacy
Communications?
• Did we achieve our advocacy objectives?
Step 10 – The SMART Check!
The last step in preparing your advocacy communications strategy is to double
check that the objectives, expected outputs and outcomes from your
advocacy communications are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Realistic and Timebound.
60

Note that not all communications work comes under the heading of advocacy
communications.
Communication only becomes part of an advocacy initiative when:
• communications are clearly and tightly targeted towards decision-makers
who have power over the advocacy issue, or towards people who are
known to have influence over the decision-makers
and
• specific media vehicles are used that have been identified as the right ones
to reach these target audiences
Using Mass Media
Definition: Mass Media
A section of the media designed to reach large numbers of people.
Traditionally, mass media was especially newspapers, popular magazines, radio,
television but now includes internet media and a new sub-branch of internet
media that we popularly refer to as social media.
The use of mass media can be a valuable addition to other advocacy
communications because:
• it offers an opportunity to reach large numbers of people without spending
large sums of money
• the media is a powerful force and can influence public opinion and the way
that people see the world
• policy makers and groups involved in political processes pay close attention
to the press, so using the media can help you to advance your policy issue
61

• coverage in the serious press or news can enhance your image with
decision-makers
• your issue and your organisation may gain credibility from appearing in
media that the audience trust
However, a word of warning is necessary. Although media coverage can have
a considerable benefit, the use of the media also carries certain risks. If the
media reports unfavourably on your issue (or you, or your organisation), or if their
reporting is inaccurate, the impact may be negative rather than positive.
When and when NOT to involve Mass Media
INVOLVING THE MEDIA IN YOUR ADVOCACY
When to involve the media When not to involve the media
• When you have clarified your
positions and developed your
messages
• When you have begun your
advocacy work
• When there is a burning issue to
deal with
• When other methods are not
working
• When looking for allies
• When publicity will help to change
the minds of those with power over
the issue
Note: if you have built a relationship
with decision-makers through lobbying,
inform them in advance of possible
media coverage
This ensures you continue to enjoy their
trust and confidence
• When you do not know how the
media works
• When there are disagreements
within your organisation or network
on the issue
• When the timing is not right. For
example, due to political
circumstances
• When bigger issues are dominating
the media, preventing your issue
from getting the attention you think
it deserves
• When publicity will alienate decision
makers and make change more
difficult
62

Press Release
“Press release” and “news release” refer to the same thing. In most countries in
Africa, the term press release can mean either a story/information given to the
media that can be used to create an article, or information sent to the media
as a paid advertisement. In this Advocacy Strategy, “press release” refers only to
information sent without payment to the media in the belief that if the story is
strong enough it will be published on its own merit. This is highly encouraged as it
will ensure that the story is newsworthy and this is more credible and cheap than
advertising.
A press release (or news release) is the standard way to supply the media with a
story. Usually the media select from it the elements they think will interest their
audience. They may shorten or lengthen the story to make it fit the space
available. Or use the information in the press release to investigate the issue
further to develop the story and make it more relevant for their readers.
Reasons for preparing a press release include wanting to
• Draw attention to an emerging or ignored issue
• Outline your reaction to a government decision, policy or action
• Report decisions taken by key stakeholders for the sector – AU, SADC, UN,
World Bank, private companies, etc.
• Give your perspective on a conference or high level meeting, etc.
• Give advance notice of your own activities or events (including who will say
or do what)
• Announce new advocacy initiatives
*** IT IS THEREFORE A GOOD START FOR LENEPWHA TO PREPARE A PRESS ***
63

RELEASE AND ANOUNCE THESE STRATEGY
Before preparing a press release ask yourself whether what you are saying really
is news?
Might it be better to promote it to the media as a feature article?
Remember that all press releases should:
• contain new or newsworthy information
• correct a misconception about an issue
or
• give your organisation’s point of view on an existing news story
PRESS RELEASES – ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
• Press releases are a very public form
of advocacy. At minimum, they
alert reporters to the existence of
your issue. If published, their
contents may put pressure on
decision-makers to take action.
• You can offer a selection of facts
and opinions of your choosing
• You can decide when to give the
information
• A press release is more permanent
than an interview – you have a
permanent record of what you said
• You have time to think before
giving your message to a journalist
• Your press release will be ignored if
a big news story ‘breaks’
• Writing a good press release takes
time, requires practice, and needs
a good level of literacy as well as
an understanding of how reporters
work
• It is difficult to involve lots of people
in writing a press release, for
example, all the members of a
network
• Journalists can still distort your story,
even if it is clear in a press release
64

• Releases make the job of the
reporter easier and increase the
likelihood of coverage
Circulating your Press Releases
Once written, send your press release to selected reporters by email or fax. They
may contact you for further information, or you may like to call them to check
whether they need more information. This is a good way to follow up your
release. Nominate one person to coordinate all contacts with reporters. Ideally
this person should be available on a 24 hour basis for at least 48 hours after the
press release is distributed. If you hold a press conference, distribute the press
release there and then, either on its own or as part of a larger press pack. At the
same time, send it to all the reporters on your target list as not everyone will
attend the press conference.
If your advocacy takes you to a big event such as a conference or summit, it is
likely that reporters will be present. This means you can hand your press release
to them directly. Before the event you should check whether there will be a
dedicated press room. And, if there is, whether you can display your materials
there; and whether special accreditation is necessary to get access? Being able
to enter the press room is valuable as it means you can make contact with
reporters directly.
Press Conference
Why Hold a Press Conference?
Press conferences increase media interest in your advocacy initiative and can
help you reach your target audiences. They give you the opportunity to tell the
65

media about major new developments related to your issue, or about special
advocacy events that will take place.
Experience everywhere indicates that to attract media attendance at a press
conference you must have something special to offer them. An exciting and
genuinely new story is essential.
Novelties such as a celebrity, an interesting venue, some truly great photos
and/or the promise of food and drink can help a great deal. The timing of the
press conference is important. What time will be most convenient for the
journalists? Are there any big events happening at the same time that could
keep the media away from your event? Otherwise, despite good planning and
preparation, you may face the embarrassment of an almost empty room.
MAKE YOUR PRESS CONFERENCE SPECIAL
Including something more exciting than one or two speakers can attract more
reporters.
Be creative about this. If your extra attractions can link to the subject of the
press conference, so much the better. Whatever you do, be sure to let journalists
know about the exciting things that you will be providing. The following ideas
are just to get you thinking:
• have a well-known person or celebrity speak
• “Use props! Even if they feel a little awkward, they will often work on camera.
• provide food and drink
• hand out freebies – T shirts, badges, mugs, pens etc. with appropriate
messages
• include some live music – just one or two short pieces not a whole concert,
remember that journalists are on a tight schedule! The music should link to
66

your story and could be anything from a small professional group to a choir
of children from a local community
• have media pack prepared for each journalist
Interviews
Why Interviews are Important
“A media interview is a conversation between a reporter and a person who has
an interesting story that can be used as the basis for publication or broadcast.
Although interviews are usually used by NGOs/CBOs for education and
awareness-raising work, media interviews can be used for advocacy work too.”
(International HIV/AIDS Alliance)
An interview gives you the opportunity to explain to a large number of people
why your advocacy issue deserves attention and what you wish to see done
about it. A successful interview should motivate people to find out more, or to
take action.
The idea of being interviewed often makes people feel uncomfortable or
nervous. This is natural as being an interviewee means giving up some control
over what happens. What follows is intended to provide information that will
help you to feel more confident and better equipped to get your advocacy
messages across.
Note that for a media interview to help achieve your advocacy objectives it
must appear in media outlets that reach the audience you need to influence.
Advice for all Broadcast Interviews
• Stay still. Moving about in a chair or rocking on your feet makes you look
nervous and can even take you out of reach of a microphone or camera
67

• Speak in complete thoughts. The reporter’s question may be edited out and
your response should stand on its own. This is especially important for
television interviews. For example, do not answer the question “do you think
spending cuts will harm the sector?” with “yes they will”. Instead say “yes, the
spending cuts will be a disaster for the health and welfare of millions of
people”.
• Try to use full names all the way through the interview. This may seem a little
strange at first but ensures that anyone who was not concentrating at the
beginning can understand what you are talking about. It also makes editing
what you say much easier for the reporter. For example, the second time you
speak government policy repeat “the government’s water policy” rather
than saying “it”; or repeat service providers rather than “they”
• If you make a mistake during a recorded interview, you can ask to answer
the question again. If it is live you can say, “Perhaps I might explain that
answer”, and then say what you really wanted to say
Advice for radio interviews
• Don’t breathe loudly into the microphone or turn your head to the side
• For radio, your voice will come sound higher than it is. Counteract this by
lowering the tone of your voice
• Don’t speak too fast
• Give full answers. For example, if the question is “how many people are you
expecting at your event?” don’t say “one hundred” say “we are expecting
one hundred young people to attend”
• If it makes you feel more comfortable, take some notes along to remind you
of key points – but don’t read from them and definitely don’t rustle them!
Advice for television interviews
• Think about your posture. Do not slouch. Try not to look down. Instead look
straight at the person interviewing you.
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• Is there someone else in your organisation or network that would be more
appropriate for the topic? If there is, as soon as you have finished speaking to
the reporter, call the person and ask them if they would be willing to do the
interview. If they say yes, ring the reporter and put them in touch directly.
8.0 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE FRAMEWORK
8.1 Advocacy at global, regional and national levels
Relevant institutional arrangements are required to ensure successful
implementation of the Advocacy and Communication Strategy as proposed
below.
STRENGTHNING LENEPWHA THROUGH AFFLIATE NETWORKS
LENEPHWA advocacy initiatives would require the support and involvement
of global and regional networks, alliances and all organizations and
institutions concerned.
Global Network of People
Living with HIV (GNP+)
Network of African
People Living with HIV
and AIDS (NAP+)
Network of African
People Living with HIV
and AIDS – Southern
African Region (NAP-
SAR)
PLHIV Network SAMPLE ALLIANCES
UNAIDS Global, IMF,
World Bank, Rights Watch
International etc
AU, NEPAD, APRM,
MoShaik Foundation
Human Science Research
Council, ARASA, TAC,
AIDS Law Project
69

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